Tyreek Hill Banged Up
The Dolphins have one of, if not, the best wide receiver corps in the NFL led by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Hill, whose 1,481 receiving yards arethe most by any player through 12 games in the Super Bowl era, is on pace to break to eclipse 2,000 yards and surpass Calvin Johnson's single-season record set in 2012 of1,964 yards.
Hill had 9 catches, 102 yards and 1 touchdown against the Jets at MetLife Stadium in Week 12, but his status is uncertain for Sunday's game after sustaining an ankle injury against the Titans on "Monday Night Football."
"If you take the quarterbacks out, he's as good as an offensive player as there is in football," Jets HC Robert Saleh said. "I always look at players whether or not we have to change the way we have to gameplan to adjust for your presence on the football field. He's one of those guys. Your entire game has to change when you're on the field. His presence alone is high alert from a play-calling standpoint to the players on the field."
Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said of Hill's availability for Sunday: "Until he flat out tells me there's no doubt he's going to play, you always have to plan for everything."
Waddle led Miami with 114 yards on 8 receptions in these teams' first matchup in Week 12.
Quarterback Shuffle
Sunday will be fourth straight Jets-Dolphins game with a new QB matchup as Zach Wilson and Tua Tagovailoa are set to start under center. They last played against each other at Miami in 2021.
Wilson, the AFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 14, completed 27-of-36 passes for 301 yards, 2 touchdowns without an interception in a 30-6 win over the Texans. He was 18 of 21 for 209 yards in the second half, the most in any half in his three-year NFL career, as the offense accounted for 3 touchdowns for the first time since last season.
"Whatever he ate on Saturday, whatever his process was during the week, do it again," Saleh said. "You don't have to make anything up. Prepare the best way you know how and have fun. Play with a smile on your face and just play with that mindset to let the ball rip. Have faith in your teammates, have faith in yourself and good things usually happen."
Tagovailoa's 3,697 yards lead the NFL. His 24 touchdown passes are No. 4 and his 104.8 passer rating is No. 3. Against the Jets in Week 12, he threw for 243 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions (one pick-6) while completing 70% of his passes.
Improved Rush Defense
The Jets run defense has tightened the screws on the opposition since the Black Friday game at MetLife Stadium when the Dolphins ran for 167 yards and 2 touchdowns on 37 carries. Raheem Mostert accounted for both scores and led Miami with 94 yards.
In Weeks 13 and 14, the Green & White has allowed an average of 85.5 rushing yards, which ranks No. 7 in the NFL, and 3.2 yards per carry (No. 4).
One wrinkle is that the Dolphins will have rookie speedster De'Von Achane in the lineup. He did not play in Week 12 because of a knee injury. Achane took the NFL by storm in Weeks 3-5 when he totaled 455 yards on the ground and 5 touchdowns while averaging 12.3 yards per carry. He also had 2 receiving scores. Achane, drafted in the third round out of Texas A&M, ran the third-fastest 40-yard dash at the 2023 Combine at 4.32 seconds.
